Applicant Information Kit

Visit www.abs.gov.au for further information on the ABS

ABS Interviewer Paralowie / Ingle Farm / Elizabeth Park area, SA

REFERENCE NO: 11/0455

Thank you for taking the time to consider a career with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABOUT THE ABS The ABS is Australias official national statistical agency. We provide statistics on a wide range of economic and social matters, covering government, business and the population in general. We also have an important coordination function with respect to the statistical activities of other official bodies, both in Australia and overseas.

ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

WHAT IS AN INTERVIEWER? Interviewers conduct personal interviews with respondents at selected dwellings to collect survey information. Personal interviews may be either: face-to-face, which require the Interviewer to conduct interviews at selected dwellings; or via telephone, which require the Interviewer to phone selected dwellings from a private location in the Interviewer's home.

Interviewers are expected to work on all surveys in the ABS Household Survey Program. All household interviews are conducted using a notebook computer. Training to use the notebook computer will be provided, however a reasonable level of competency is required. Interviewers must maintain the strictest confidentiality and security in respect of all information collected and survey materials used. Interviewers are appointed under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 and engaged under Regulation 3 of the Statistics Regulations and Subsection 16(2) of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975, and are legally bound to protect the privacy of information collected.

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HOW ARE INTERVIEWERS SELECTED? There are no formal educational requirements prescribed for Interviewers. Applicants will be assessed against the following criterion through the selection process. 1. Presentation and Interpersonal Skills

Demonstrates professionalism Shows judgement, intelligence and commonsense Demonstrates an ability to confidently handle a diverse range of situations Shows a preparedness for interview including an awareness of the ABS and it's role

2. Communication

Communicates clearly - clarity of speech and pronunciation, adapting to the audience Demonstrates active listening skills Negotiates confidently

3. Achieving Results

Demonstrates an ability to make fast and appropriate decisions based on information provided Displays an ability to work as instructed within set guidelines and timeframes

4. Technical Aptitude

Demonstrates experience in using various forms of telecommunications (phone - fixed and mobile, SMS) Demonstrates experience in using a computer (email, internet, spreadsheets and electronic documents) Displays a willingness to learn and use new technologies

5. Past Experience and Skills

Demonstrates past experience in dealing with people and/or the public Demonstrates past experience in working in a team and/or supervisory skills Relevant project/planning/management skills to the role proximity of applicant's residential address to the geographical location being advertised is also a key requirement

HOW FIT DO INTERVIEWERS HAVE TO BE? Interviewers need to be reasonably fit and capable of coping with a wide range of physically demanding situations, for example, climbing flights of stairs in apartment buildings. Interviewers are expected to work in all weather conditions (within reason).

WHAT ARE THE HOME OFFICE REQUIREMENTS AND WHAT DOES THE ABS SUPPLY? Interviewers must have a private, secure area in their home where ABS work can be conducted, including telephone interviews. The ABS will arrange for the installation of a dedicated telephone line which will be maintained and paid for by the ABS. The ABS will also supply and maintain the following equipment: notebook computer; telephone and headset; height adjustable desk; ergonomic chair; lockable drawer cabinet; and mobile phone.

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WHAT HOURS DO INTERVIEWERS WORK? Interviewing hours are between 8.30am and 8.30pm Monday to Friday, and from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday. At the discretion of the Interviewer, interviews may also be conducted between 9.00am and 5.00pm on Sundays. These hours allow a certain amount of flexibility, although most interviewing is conducted in the first three days of the week. It is important to note that most workloads contain a significant amount of evening work and, in some areas a considerable proportion of dwellings can only be interviewed after 5.30pm as the occupants are not home during the day. Interviewers need to be available to undertake two weeks work each month. Prior to commencing a work assignment, Interviewers electronically sign an agreement undertaking to complete the work in the required manner within the specified period. All work done by Interviewers is subject to various checks.

CAN I TAKE LEAVE? Upon application, Interviewers can access leave as set out in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewers Certified Agreement 2005-2011, for example, for recreation purposes, illness or to attend to family responsibilities.

IS EXTRA WORK AVAILABLE? Dependent on the Household Survey Program, additional work may be available. All Interviewers can be considered for additional work. Assignments to undertake additional work will be offered on the basis of merit and geographic location.

WHERE ARE WORKLOADS LOCATED? There are workloads in all major urban centres in each state and territory as well as many rural and smaller urban localities. Interviewers are generally allocated work within a reasonable distance from their home. In metropolitan areas, workloads can be spread over a number of suburbs, whereas in rural areas the workload boundaries can be much greater. For confidentiality reasons, Interviewers must work alone, and are not permitted to take anyone with them except when accompanied by another authorised ABS staff member (e.g. their supervisor).

HOW MUCH DOES AN INTERVIEWER GET PAID? An Interviewer's pay varies with each workload. It is important for applicants to know that the position does not pay a living wage as the ABS can only offer Interviewers casual work. Interviewer pay rates are specified in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewers Certified Agreement 2005-2011. As Interviewers use their own vehicles while interviewing, they are entitled to a vehicle allowance. Approved expenses incurred in the course of their work are also reimbursed. The current rate of pay for an Interviewer starts at $23.12 per hour ($44,331 p.a.) which attracts a further 9% interviewing loading commencing at ~$2.00 per hour. In addition, ABS Interviewers accrue leave according to their hours worked. The average interviewer would earn approximately $600 - $800 (before tax) for a Monthly Population Survey work assignment. In addition to this, a Motor Vehicle Allowance (MVA) ranging from 59 to 72 cents per kilometre (depending on the engine capacity of your vehicle) is paid. If Interviewers are required to work or attend training in distant areas that require an overnight stay, a travelling allowance is also paid.

ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE THAT THE JOB WOULD NOT SUIT? Due to the nature of the work, Interviewer positions are not suited to persons already working or studying fulltime; persons wanting full-time work; persons who are unable to work either in the evening, Saturdays, or during school holidays.

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WHAT TRAINING DO INTERVIEWERS RECEIVE? Initial training New Interviewers are required to successfully complete the Interviewer Development Program, which consists of: reading a Pre-Training Information Pack; attending an eight day training course conducted in Adelaide from 04 October 2011 13 October 2011; enumerating their first work assignment commencing 16 October 2011; and attending a further two days of training conducted in Adelaide on approximately 03 November 04 November 2011.

Interviewers are paid to attend all training sessions and to read any required documentation.

Subsequent training Seminars and development workshops are conducted periodically; these usually last for one to two days. These are usually conducted in the ABS Office in your state, however sometimes these are also conducted in regional areas. Attendance at seminars and development workshops is mandatory. Interviewers selected to work on other social surveys conducted by the ABS are required to attend relevant classroom training sessions, which vary in length but are usually one to three days in duration. All Interviewers are supervised on the job at regular intervals and receive written feedback from their supervisors. This is regarded as part of an Interviewers ongoing training as well as ensuring that each Interviewer conforms to the standards prescribed by the ABS. Interviewers complete a paid Home Study Exercise prior to the conduct of each new survey. These exercises give instructions and example scenarios to enable Interviewers to familiarise themselves with the new survey topics.

WHAT IS THE ABS HOUSEHOLD SURVEY PROGRAM? The ABS Household Survey Program consists of the regular Monthly Population Survey and other surveys collectively known as Special Social Surveys. The ABS has been conducting Population Surveys since 1960 to collect data and statistics on the labour force and other characteristics of the population. Monthly Population Survey (MPS) This survey produces the national employment and unemployment statistics and is considered to be one of the most important surveys conducted by the ABS. Households selected in the MPS are interviewed for eight consecutive months. The first interview is conducted at the selected household by a face-to-face interview and collects demographic information of the household as well as labour force information. Interviews for the remaining seven months are usually conducted by telephone interview. MPS workloads are allocated to Interviewers in advance and cover a period of one week. Workloads must be completed in the week they are allocated to. Workload sizes vary, but generally consist of between 50 and 70 dwellings and take approximately 25 to 30 hours to complete.

Special Social Surveys (SSS) These surveys are conducted throughout the year and cover a range of topics. Recent surveys include the National Health Survey, the Survey of Education and Training and the Household Expenditure Survey. These surveys are paid at a higher hourly rate than the MPS. SSS workloads are allocated to Interviewers in advance and usually cover a period of two weeks. Workloads must be completed in the weeks they are allocated to. Workload sizes vary, but generally consist of between 25 and 30 dwellings and take 20 to 30 hours to complete. Households selected in these surveys are usually only interviewed once, by face-to face interview, at the selected household's address. Interviewers are expected to work on these surveys regularly as required and additional training is normally given for each survey. Page 4/7

Additional Information
There are no formal educational requirements prescribed for Interviewers. The first stage of assessment is based upon the information provided in the application form. Suitability for appointment as an Interviewer is assessed on the following: o o o o o Proximity of applicant's residential address to available work; Applicant's availability to undertake survey work two weeks a month up to five days in a week up to five nights In a week on weekends during school holidays; Availability to attend a paid training course on the dates indicated above; Availability to undertake a work assignment on the dates indicated above; Availability to attend a paid recall training session on the dates indicated above; Unlimited use of a reliable, lockable car with comprehensive insurance cover; Possession of a current drivers licence; Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; Basic computer skills; Results of selection assessment test; Interview performance; Security check; Appropriate space and environment within the home for a home office to be set up (subject to ABS inspection); and Being in good health.

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HOW TO APPLY
Before deciding to apply, please read this Application Information Kit and research the ABS, to develop your knowledge of the department. You may also find it helpful to speak to the contact officer. The following information will assist you in preparing your application and lodging it by the due date and time. Please note that you must be an Australian citizen or expecting to gain citizenship within the next 2 months to be eligible for employment with the ABS. Applications for ABS vacancies are lodged through the ABS eRecruitment system. The electronic application process consists of three simple stages: registration, drafting your application and review. The system will guide you through each of these stages. When submitting your application, please be sure that you respond to all the mandatory questions, and upload a copy of your resume. Applications close 28/07/2011 at 6pm (EST).

STEPS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS

STAGE Short-listing Test / Interview Referee Reports DESCRIPTION Initial short-listing will involve assessment of your application and resume. If short-listed you will be required to attend a test and/or an interview. You must include details of two referees in your online application Wherever possible at least one of these should be work related reference. Referee reports will only be sought for those applicants who are in strong contention for a position. Selection of Successful Candidates Successful candidates will initially be advised by telephone of the expected offer of employment with the ABS. Formal engagement is subject to successfully passing a : Advice Order of Merit routine security/police records check; and medical assessment

All candidates are advised if they are successful or unsuccessful in gaining a position. If applicants assessed as suitable are not offered a position in the first instance, they will remain on an order of merit for up to twelve months from the date of advertising. If additional vacancies arise the delegate may use the order of merit to make another offer of employment.

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INDICATIVE TIMETABLE
Applications close Short-listing Interviews Applicants advised of outcome 28 July 2011 Early August 2011 Early to Middle August 2011 End of August 2011

FURTHER INFORMATION For specific information about the job opportunities, please contact Jennie Stuart, on 03 9615 7014 or email jennie.stuart@abs.gov.au.

For any other queries throughout the process please contact National Recruitment on 1800 249 583 or email recruitment@abs.gov.au

Please quote reference number 11/0455 in the subject line of your email.

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